Frozen french fries, as defined in explicit USDA specifications 52.2391 effective Feb. 8, 1967, are processed throughout the year from raw potatoes. Some six billion plus pounds of frozen french fries are produced each year in the United States. One hundred percent of them are finished off with an oil blanch just prior to freezing. In addition to these frozen french fries produced in reference to these United States Department of Agricultural specifications, a U.S. patent search resulted in the consideration of the following patents to determine how other potato products were made.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,483 of 1990, Sharon C. Kloos describes and illustrates her No-Fat, No-Cholesterol, Salt-Free Potato Cooking Process for making potato chips and french fry-like potatoes. Her process, based on her use of her home kitchen equipment, includes the steps of microwave cooking sliced potatoes in water for purposes of releasing undesirable potato starch from the potatoes utilizing a transparent color transformation as an indicator of doneness. Once the potatoes have gone the color transformation the hot water is dumped and the potatoes are rinsed in cold water to remove visible potato starch. After rinsing the potatoes are then arranged in a planar fashion on a non-stick cooking sheet and placed in a conventional radiant heat oven for browning and crispening to produce a no-fat, no cholesterol, salt-free potato product. After crispening and browning the potato product is ready for consumption or prepared for packing, such as by freezing, for later consumption using known packaging methods.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,914 of 1965, Frederick H. Vahlsing Jr., described his method of treating potato solids to develop their uniform color and palatableness, especially with respect to frozen french fried potatoes. He described a specific example of his process as follows: strips of potatoes, having the shape necessary for frozen French fried potatoes, were immersed in water at a temperature of 190.degree. F. for approximately 3 minutes. This resulted in gelatinization of the surface layer of the potato solids. Thereafter, the potatoes were placed in a second tank and wash water at a temperature of 75.degree. F. was continuously passed over the potatoes for approximately 2 minutes. Thereafter, the potatoes were immersed in an aqueous suspension containing 5% gelatinized corn starch and 0.5% sodium acid pyrophosphate at a temperature of about 140.degree. F. and for approximately 2 minutes. The potatoes were then removed from the starch suspension solution, excess of which was shaken off them and then they were fried in hot hydrogenated cottonseed oil at a temperature of 360.degree. F. for about 11/2 minutes. The potatoes developed a rich golden color and were immediately frozen at -20.degree. F.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,116 of 1976, Messrs. Merle L. Weaver, Earl Hautala, and Masahide Nonaka, illustrated and described their preformed potato products. They cooked and then mashed potatoes. Thereafter, they shaped the mashed potatoes into potato strips. The surfaces of these potato strips were then case-hardened by using hot air. These hardened potato strips were then fried directly, frozen, or held in cold storage. After frying them, they had the taste, appearance, color and texture of high quality conventional french fries. They had added advantages of higher solids content, lower fat content, and no tendency to get limp.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,631 of 1977, Charles F. Roan described his enzyme-treated fried starchy foods. The treatment occurred prior to frying in fats and oils, to reduce their absorption of fat during the frying, and to improve their flavor. The treatment involved coating the surfaces of these starchy foods with an aqueous solution of alpha amylase enzyme.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,861 of 1981, Messrs. Andrew A. Caridis, Clark K. Benson, Steven G. Leary, and Arthur A. Nilsen illustrated and described their process for preparing french fried potatoes and the apparatus they used to obtain a pre-fried potato product with a low oil content of about 3% to 7%.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,030 of 1985, Messrs. John F. Haury and Charles T. Hensley described their process for preparing low calorie french fry product. Potato strips, obtained by following conventional peeling, slicing, and blanching steps, but before frying in oil or spraying them with oil, were immersed in a "sugar drag" containing sodium acid pyrophosphate and caramel, and optionally glucose to create a coating on these potato strips. Thereafter, during the frying process, and even more so during the preparation of the french fry product in a home oven, the presence of this coating results in a darkening of the product, presenting french fries having a lower calorie content and a pleasing color. The greatly diminished oil content, in the range of 25% to 75% less, is responsible for the lower calorie content. However, Messrs. Haury and Hensley's low calories french fry product still contained fat and maintained a higher calorie content than many prospective customers would want.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,908 of 1990, William E. Prosise described his reduced oil french fried potato products and process for preparing them. After peeling and cutting the raw potatoes, they were coated with polyvinylpyrrolidone, via dipping into an aqueous solution of it or being sprayed with it, and thereafter this coating was dried. Thereafter these coated potato pieces were deep fried in oil to produce a finished french fry potato food product. During this frying the coating provided resistance to oil absorption, reducing the oil content by 20%.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,970 of 1991, Messrs. Sudhakar P. Shaubhag and Joseph J. Cousminer illustrate and describe their process for preparing reheatable french fried potatoes. When they are reheated to a consumption temperature they closely simulate the color, texture, aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel of french fries prepared at fast food restaurants by deep fat frying. In their process they parfry potato strips after blanching them. They are then cooled. Subsequently, they are dust coated with potato granules providing a thin coherent coating. Finished frying follows, thereby cooking the dust coated potato strips into a fully cooked ready-to-eat product. Thereafter these fried coated potato strips are frozen. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,761 of 1990, Douglas B. Hale described his potato preservation method to provide fresh, uncooked, pre-cut, and peeled potatoes available in the refrigeration sections of supermarkets, etc., ready to be cooked. By so doing, he saved the consumer from the trouble of having to peel and cut them. The potatoes were fresh, uncooked, and not frozen. The potatoes retained more of their natural starch, vitamins, taste, and texture. Mr. Hale's method for preserving these pre-cut, uncooked potatoes for storage at refrigeration temperatures comprised the steps of:
a) blanching pre-peeled, pre-cut potatoes to seal the outer surface without cooking the inside of the potatoes; PA1 b) rapidly cooling the blanched potatoes to below 45 degrees Fahrenheit; PA1 c) drying the cooled potatoes; and PA1 d) vacuum packaging the dried potatoes in an inert gas.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,424 of 1983, Hiroshi Hasegawa described his production of semi-processed fried potato pieces for preservation at room temperature. After potato pieces and strips were prepared by cutting, peeling, and washing, they were then immersed in an aqueous solution of an antioxidant, and a texture enhancing agent. Thereafter, these pieces and strips were washed and drained. Then they were prefried for partial drying in deep edible oil, to reduce their water content by 10 to 20 percent by weight. Afterwards, these pieces and strips were packaged in a gas-tight sealed bag under vacuum, and then sterilized by heating under pressure. These pre-processed potato pieces could be stored at room temperature for months. When used they were finally fried in deep oil or fat.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,855 of 1978, Messrs. Citti and Dienst illustrated and described their process for producing a french fried potato product. They mixed mashed blanched potatoes and dehydrated potatoes along with an emulsifier into dough which they heated. Then this hot dough was extruded through a special die having an interior formed as a Maltese cross, thereby creating an elongated potato product simulating a french fry product. The final product was obtained by surrounding it in cooking fat in a deep frying process.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,644,129 of 1972, Jerry L. Sloan disclosed his method of processing potatoes prior to their later combined freeze drying and air drying. Potato pieces were blanched, cooled, blanched again, and quick frozen. Thereafter, they were dehydrated by a combined freeze drying and air drying process which took less time and later resulted in better rehydration.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,008 of 1978, Messrs. Yueh and Mueller described their instantized potato products and method of making same. After potatoes were washed, peeled, and cut, they were blanched for two minutes. Thereafter the bleached potato pieces were treated in a chemical bath. Then they were partially dehydrated to an overall moisture content of about 35-65%. Thereafter, the potato pieces were further dehydrated to a shelf stable moisture content of less than 10%. The resulting potato pieces were available to consumers, who quickly rehydrated them for use either without further cooking or with further cooking. The consumer electively used these potato pieces as fried potatoes, in potato salads, as scalloped potatoes, as creamed potatoes, as hash browns, and the like.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,553 of 1983, Thomas R. Schmidt described his method of imparting a reddish color to seasoning salts. To do so, he added a food grade acid to an aqueous solution of annatto, lowering the pH sufficiently to precipitate the annatto into an aqueous slurry. Then Mr. Schmidt combined the annatto slurry with granulated seasoning salt, blending the resulting combination, wherein the salt was plated with the annatto and then dried.
In a publication of 1977, entitled, "Potatoes, Production, Storing, and Processing", Professor Ora Smith, Ph.D. wrote information concerning frozen french fries and other frozen potato products. Throughout his descriptions the processed potato pieces were fried, while exposed to fat. He discussed the various steps of: washing, peeling, trimming, sorting, cutting, blanching, frying, defatting by using vibrating screens, freezing, and packaging.
All of these prior inventors have tried to provide a better product, often reducing the fat, salt, and cholesterol, with Sharon C. Kloos leading the way. Using her home kitchen equipment she produces french fry like potatoes, and potato chips, which have no fat, no cholesterol and no salt, and yet are attractive from a dietary perspective. Yet there remains a need for yet another commercial process to create a commercial french fry like product, which is produced without using oil, and therefore may be considered a fat free french fry style potato product with color.